Police race to arrest Tak Bai massacre suspects before deadline

National police chief Kitrat Phanphet issued an urgent directive to locate all suspects involved in the 2004 Tak Bai massacre before the statute of limitations expires on October 25.

Police General Kitrat provided an update on the arrest efforts, noting the critical time constraint with only two days left.

More than 80 individuals lost their lives following a crackdown on protesters in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat province, and their subsequent transport to a military facility in Pattani province.

The massacre led to the identification of 14 suspects.

Seven suspects, including General Pisal Wattanawongkiri, the then Fourth Army Region’s commander; Police Lieutenant General Wongkot Maneerin, the then assistant national police chief; and Major General Chalermchai Wirunpeth, the then 5th Infantry Regiment’s commander, have been indicted by the Narathiwat Provincial Court in a case filed by the victims’ families. Arrest warrants have been issued for these individuals.

Additionally, the attorney-general filed a case against eight suspects at the Pattani Provincial Court yesterday. Maj. Gen. Chalermchai is a suspect in both cases.

Pol. Gen. Kitrat indicated that his visit to Provincial Police Region 9 was aimed at accelerating the process of apprehending all suspects before the statute of limitations deadline.

Efforts have included issuing arrest warrants and coordinating with international agencies such as Interpol to issue red notices, Pol. Gen. Kitrat said.

“Police have conducted 29 searches and 180 surveillance activities to prevent suspects from fleeing the country, following instructions from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.”

He urged the public to contact officials immediately if they have information on the suspects’ whereabouts.

An investigation revealed that some suspects had already fled the country before the warrants were issued, and their current locations remain unknown.

When questioned about potential legal changes to extend the statute of limitations, Pol. Gen. Kitrat emphasised that the police are focused solely on arresting the suspects within the current legal timeframe, distancing the police from political matters.

“Officers have been instructed not to cease searching.”

Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai mentioned that a legal team is examining the possibility of seeking a royal decree to extend the deadline for the arrests, reported Bangkok Post.

Justice Minister Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong asserted that there are no double standards in the justice process between cases against civilians and those involving state officials.